In the case of continuous-flow bulk-handling ship-loaders or bulk-handling ship-unloaders, the bulk material discharge device and/or bulk material pick-up device is/are generally arranged to swivel or turn about the vertical axis. It is known to provide a turntable for this purpose at the upper end of the supporting tube, and to turn the supporting tube about the vertical axis with the discharge and/or pick-up device. According to another proposal, the discharge and/or pick-up device is pivoted or rotated by suitable means with the supporting tube fixed. These known solutions necessitate relatively complicated revolving mechanisms and bearing structures which, in addition, increase the weight of the loader or unloader. Since, in the case of ship unloaders or ship loaders, the elevating conveyor or down-feed device is arranged at the front end of a relatively long boom, the weight increased due to the revolving mechanisms and bearing structures leads to relatively high moments, which have to be taken up or balanced on the land side by the steel structure of the loader or unloader, which also negatively affects the weight of the unit.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a possibility of swivelling or turning the bulk material discharge or bulk material pick-up device that is relatively simple and increases the weight of the conveyor as little as possible.
This object, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: